Getting Back on the Horse After 10 Rejections - Maryam Umar

I was jobless for six months, not by choice but by fate. Updating your CV and interviewing when you are not mentally prepared to do so is a very difficult situation to go through.

One would think that the current market is the candidate’s market, so why didn’t I have a job for six months? I went through a lot of interviews. And with each interview, I started losing hope in my skill set. This happened not because I wasn’t doing well. I was continuously told that they really liked you, BUT… and nothing.

I still don’t have useful feedback on why I got rejected ten times. I even started questioning whether I wanted to be associated with the tech industry. A part of me also started thinking that I was being put forward only because I am a ‘diverse’ candidate. Turns out, it only took one person to give me a job offer during my first interview with them. They saw my strengths which was a great morale boost.

However, my imposter syndrome had settled in nicely during these six months. So how do I learn to ride the waves again? This is where my previous career and life coaching sessions helped tremendously. In this session, I want to share how we can continue to learn from every interview rejection. And how we can use the help from mentors and coaches to keep our heads high.